To recount the history of Temple Beth El is to mirror the history of Reform Judaism within the United States. When the Temple was founded in 1927 both the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the Hebrew Union College were only a little over 50 years old and there were fewer than 300 Reform congregations in the United States. Today Reform Judaism in the United States accounts for 880 congregations and over a million and one half members. In the words of the late Rabbi Gerald H. Schuster, who served the congregation for 18 years from 1970 to 1988, “Reform Judaism has played a vital role in the development and direction of American Jewish Life.” Likewise, Temple Beth El has created a strong Reform, Liberal presence in the Greater Flint area and its members have had a great impact on both Jewish institutions in Flint as well as upon the general community.

The congregation traces its roots to a small but dedicated group of men and women who began meeting together in renovated quarters in the Paterson Building on South Saginaw in downtown Flint on November 18, 1927. Rabbi Leo M. Franklin of Temple Beth El Detroit presided at the signing of Articles of Association. The first Officers of Temple Beth El included Maurice Rosenbaum President; Moses Rosenthal Vice President; Arthur Dubois, Secretary; and Harry Winegarden, Treasurer. The quarters in the Paterson building were small and cramped and services for holidays needed to be held in the other locations.

An active sisterhood existed prior to the founding of the congregation. It is appropriate to recognize the women of congregation and their role in its founding as the Sisterhood has been a moving force in the areas of education, fund-raising and programming throughout the life of Temple Beth El.

The Temple Reform Sisterhood was officially founded on June 8, 1927, and changed to Temple Beth Sisterhood with the formal founding of the Temple later that year. Mrs. James Rapport was the Sisterhood founder, and first president and 22 women formed the original membership.

The struggle to find meeting space continued until our first building was bought and renovated. The group grew in size and strength despite the difficult years of the Great Depression and the goal for a permanent home was finally realized in January, 1935 with the purchase of the structure on Liberty and East Second Street.

However, as Louis Werbe, an earlier chronicler of Temple Beth El's history reports, “despite expectations of happier days ahead the ensuing years reveal trials and tribulations owing to membership inactivity, financial difficulties, differences of opinion and lack of cooperation among members. Fortunately, however, there were always a faithful few to come to the rescue. “Due to the persistence of these committed members, a Mortgage Burning Party was held at the Hotel Durant on October 19, 1941.

In October, 1942 the Temple joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, a proud affiliation with Reform Judaism which has been maintained to the present time. Under the leadership of Rabbi Morton M. Applebaum the congregation grew in both size and strength. By the mid-forties, however, the religious school facilities had become inadequate and there was insufficient seating capacity for the High Holy Days making it necessary to rent space at the Masonic Temple for services.

It was clearly time to look for larger, more appropriate quarters. Plans were formulated to build a new more adequate design. An educational wing of greater capacity was an important part of the plan. A five-acre site was selected on the corner of Ballenger Highway and Beecher Road in an area that was undeveloped at that time but soon destined to become the home of three major medical facilities.

Through fund-raising and personal efforts of many, including Martin Gordon as Building Committee Chairman and Dr. Max S. Hart as Finance Committee Chairman, a building was designed and built and the first service was held there on April 14, 1950.

Tragically, during this same period of transition for the Temple Community, Jews worldwide were mourning the slaughter of our six million brothers and sisters during the Holocaust in Europe. Rabbi Schuster referred to this period as one of great change for both Jews and the world. “After the most massive and destructive war in history, geo-political changes have vanquished old empires and spawned a multitude of nations, the state of Israel among them.”

Rabbi Philip S. Bernstein, President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis wrote to the Beth El community on the occasion of the 1950 building dedication “that the liquidation of most of European Jewry and the establishment of the State of Israel have made necessary a reorientation in American Jewry. “Our survival as Jews is more complicated and requires revaluation. It becomes clear that without religion there is no meaning to Jewish survival. The synagogue alone gives purpose and goal to an on-going American Jewish Community.” On a local level, the dedication of the Ballenger Highway building was a very tangible example of commitment of this ideal by the Flint Reform Jewish Community.

The Ballenger Highway building served us well until the early nineteen-seventies when serious structural problems impacted our ability to maintain the building in an economical manner. The roof leaked, the windows were conduits of cold in the winter and heat in the summer and the heating plant was in great need of upgrading. Once again, a committee of dedicated congregants rallied to the occasion and spearheaded major renovation including lowering the ceiling in the social hall to reduce heat loss.

To meet this new development, a committee began exploring the viability of combining our religious school with that of our sister congregation, Beth Israel. The resulting merger has continued to serve both congregations well to the present day, exposing our children to the Conservative movement and giving them increased opportunities for interaction with Jewish children.

When the Temple Board was approached by a prospective buyer in 1997, the time appeared right to consider selling the Ballenger Highway building and to move to a new building more in keeping with the current and anticipated needs for our membership. Through the excellent leadership of our president, Jeffrey Himelhoch, Building Committee Chairs Carl Riseman, Clifford Hart, and Lois Stanley, and many other active board members, we searched for a new location and found our new site on Calkins Road.

The resulting new structure was a direct outgrowth of the efforts and dedication of all those members who have contributed and supported the Temple in the past as well as the present. We have grown and changed, making full use of the Reform movement to supply us with rabbis, prayer brooks, educational materials, programming and camps for our young people. We continued to be a living example of the philosophy of Reform Judaism in action. In the words of Rabbi Schuster, “ One of the basic principles of Reform Judaism is the concept of progress and change that has been an inherent part of Judaism since its inception. One of the secrets of Jewish survival has been its ability to face the future and to seek out meaning in choosing the values and directions.” (Reprinted from Dedication Weekend book.)

Dr. Bernard Dickstein concluded the history section of the 40th Anniversary book with this prayer: “…may our Temple Family grow and prosper and come to its 50th Anniversary in full bloom and vigor!” In the 50th Anniversary book Max S. hart concluded his history of our Temple's rabbis with this prayer: “…may God let his countenance shine upon all of us, and cause this Congregation to flourish and prosper for the next fifty years.”

Half way to our second 50 years one might regard these prayers as a reflection of a bygone era when growth and progress of the Reform Movement in the greater Flint area was taken for granted. While our Jewish community has confronted challenges born out of economic adversity and demographic decline in the past decades, our Reform congregation remains vital-we have even experienced a modest growth in our membership in the past five years. Our former rabbi, Mark Goldfarb, our lay leaders and our warm, friendly “Temple family” contributed to our ability to adapt and to attract new and younger members. Also, we have a new building and a new rabbi, Karen Companez, our first female rabbi. Therefore, we have much to be thankful for. We are, after all, Reform Jews, who believe deeply that we can freely choose our own destiny. Thus, “May we all [indeed] continue to go from strength to strength” as we confront the challenges and choices that will shape our Congregation's future in the next twenty-five years.